Reimagining Pre-Need Planning as a Meaningful Experience
The Power of a Personal Letter
The inspiration came from observing an outstanding pre-need agent who was significantly outperforming industry standards. Her innovation? After meeting with clients and understanding their wishes, she would craft personalized letters from the pre-planner to their family. These letters served dual purposes: capturing the emotional "why" behind the pre-planning decision while also functioning as practical instruction manuals for the family.
A Digital Experience with a Human Touch
We envisioned building on this idea by creating a facilitated digital experience that could be delivered via laptop or iPad, using AI to enhance the process. The concept was to develop a platform that would:
- Guide planners through meaningful questions about their wishes
- Help them consider options they might not have thought about (like private viewings before cremation)
- Capture their intentions and preferences
- Generate personalized letters similar to those created by the high-performing agent
- Streamline the insurance component as a simple checkout process rather than a heavy sales pitch
Creating Value for All Stakeholders
Our hypothesis was that this approach would lead to higher quantities of pre-need plans sold, increased value per plan, and better compensation for the agents and funeral homes by removing unnecessary middlemen. By focusing on the experience and the "why" of pre-planning, we aimed to create more value for everyone involved—planners, their families, agents, and funeral homes.
